Cantargia presents new preclinical data showing unique improvement of heart function in myocarditis using antibody CAN10

Cantargia AB today presented new results on the antibody CAN10 at the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), Virtual IMMUNOLOGY 2021. These data demonstrate that the interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP)-binding antibody CAN10 reduces inflammation and/or fibrosis in several disease models including myocarditis. CAN10, which blocks signaling of IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36, counteracted deterioration of the cardiac function more potently than blockade of IL-1 signaling only.

Cantargia develops antibody-based immunotherapies targeting IL1RAP. Cantargia’s most advanced program, CAN04 (nadunolimab), is currently in phase IIa clinical development for treatment of cancer, while CAN10 is in preclinical development for treatment of myocarditis and systemic sclerosis. Clinical studies with CAN10 are planned to be initiated early 2022. CAN10 binds to IL1RAP and has a unique capability to simultaneously inhibit signaling via the IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36 receptors, involved in promoting inflammatory responses.

The poster presented is titled “Blocking IL1, IL33 and IL36 signaling by an anti-IL1RAP antibody is an efficient anti-inflammatory treatment that improves heart function in a model of autoimmune myocarditis”. Favorable therapeutic effects were presented using a murine surrogate CAN10 antibody in multiple preclinical models of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, including myocarditis. In myocarditis, disease development is driven by inflammation and subsequent fibrosis of the myocardium, resulting in deterioration of the cardiac function. CAN10 significantly reduced the development of inflammation and fibrosis in a preclinical model when treatment was given during five weeks after induction of disease. Treatment with CAN10 also significantly counteracted the deterioration of the cardiac function, in contrast to other anti-inflammatory therapies such as an anti-IL-1β antibody, the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra, or prednisone. More specifically, electrocardiography shows that CAN10 preserved up to 95% of the cardiac function observed before onset of the disease

CAN10 was also evaluated in other inflammatory disease models, such as peritonitis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. CAN10 reduced the recruitment of disease-promoting monocytes and neutrophils, and proinflammatory molecules such as IL-6, in the peritonitis model. CAN10 also reduced disease progression of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, accompanied by reduced IL-17 levels. Finally, CAN10 showed a more potent activity than IL-1 blockade by an anti-IL-1β antibody or anakinra in these models as well.

Collectively, these results suggest that a potent clinical effect can be achieved in inflammatory disease by simultaneous blockade of IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36 with CAN10. The poster is available on Cantargia’s webpage: www.cantargia.com.

“These novel results are strongly supportive of the CAN10 development strategies in myocarditis and we look forward to advance remaining development activities in order to allow patient studies”, said Göran Forsberg, CEO of Cantargia.

For further information, please contact
Göran Forsberg, CEO
Telephone: +46 (0)46-275 62 60
E-mail: goran.forsberg@cantargia.com

This is information that Cantargia AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 15.00 CET on 10 May 2021.

About Cantargia
Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases. The basis for this is the protein IL1RAP that is involved in a number of diseases and where Cantargia has established a platform. The main project, the antibody CAN04, is being studied clinically as combination therapy with chemotherapy or immune therapy with a primary focus on non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. Positive interim data from the combination with chemotherapy show a higher response rate than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia’s second project, the antibody CAN10, addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, with initial focus on systemic sclerosis and myocarditis.

Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at www.cantargia.com.

About nadunolimab (CAN04)
The antibody CAN04 binds strongly to the target IL1RAP and functions both though ADCC as well as blocking IL-1α and IL-1β signaling. Thereby, CAN04 can counteract the contribution of the IL-1 system to the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and development of resistance to chemotherapy. CAN04 is investigated in two clinical trials. In the first phase I/IIa-study, CANFOUR, first line combination therapy is investigated using two different standard chemotherapies in 31 patients with NSCLC (gemcitabine/cisplatin) and 31 patients with PDAC (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel), as well as monotherapy in late stage patients (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03267316). Phase I monotherapy data from 22 patients were presented at ASCO 2019 and showed good safety with infusion related reaction being the most common side effect. In addition, the biomarkers IL6 and CRP decreased during treatment. Positive interim data from the combination arms was presented during H2 2020 and showed a higher response rate than expected from chemotherapy alone. A phase I study investigating CAN04 in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor started H2 2020 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04452214). Additional clinical combination studies are planned to start during 2021.

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